News
Maldivian among six arrested for Arugam Bay security scare
By Norman Palihawadane
Six persons, including a Maldivian national, had been arrested in connection with the security scare in Arugam Bay, Public Security Minister Vijitha Herath said.The Minister said the arrests had been made on the basis of information received over potential attacks in the Arugam Bay area, as well as incidents involving the photographing of economic nerve centres in Colombo.
“So far, we have arrested six individuals. A Maldivian and five Sri Lankans are in custody and investigations are proceeding.
The Male-based Mihaaru News yesterday said that the Maldivian now in custody on charges of attempting to make a terrorist attack at Arugam Bay had been accused of planning to murder another Maldivian gang leader currently living in Sri Lanka.
The Mihaaru News report said: Bilal Mohamed, child of a Maldivian man and a Sri Lankan woman, was arrested on October 24 under a case being investigated by Sri Lanka’s Terrorism Investigation Division (TID). Bilal holds dual citizenship.
Sri Lankan media earlier reported that Bilal was arrested for planning an attack on Chabad House in Arugam Bay, an establishment run there by some Israelis, and a hotspot for Israeli tourists. Clashes between Israeli visitors to Chabad House and Muslim residents of Arugam Bay have been rising, according to reports. India’s Intelligence Agency then informed Sri Lankan Police of the planned attack.
However, Mihaaru News reports that they have learned that Bilal is also accused of planning to shoot and kill a Maldivian gang leader who is currently in Sri Lanka.
Mihaaru contacted Sri Lankan Police Spokesperson Nihal Taldu, who confirmed that a Maldivian has been arrested, but said that no further details can be disclosed.
The intended victim, however, was summoned to the Police station, where he was warned of the attack. Details of relevant text messages and financial transactions were also shared with him.
Back in 2015, Bilal had been arrested by Sri Lankan police in the murder of Maldivian Hussain Razeen (Rabarey). The charges raised in the trial conducted in Maldives in this case, it was said that Bilal had committed the murder after receiving payment from persons in Maldives.
One of the accused in the case had met with Bilal ahead of Razeen’s murder and given him money. Once Bilal had sent a photo of Razeen’s body placed in his van after the murder, he had been given additional money, the charges said.
Sri Lankan Police, who investigated the case, said that Razeen had been murdered by paying the killers 140 million Sri Lankan rupees. They said that the murder had been funded by a Maldivian businessman, who wanted to take revenge for the murder of a relative.
The Ministry of Education has announced that all schools in the island will be closed on 13th and 14th November due to the Parliamentary Election.
By Rathindra Kuruwita
More than 8,800 candidates were contesting this year’s general election, but fewer than 1,000 of them were actively campaigning, Rohana Hettiarachchi, Executive Director of the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), said yesterday.
“This low level of enthusiasm reflects the strain on political parties which have had to contest elections one after the other,” Hettiarachchi said, noting that voters themselves seemed less enthusiastic about the election. “There is significant disillusionment with traditional parties. Additionally, with campaign finance laws now in place, questionable individuals and entities are restricted from injecting money, leading many big spenders from previous elections to withdraw,” he said.
Although hundreds of political parties and independent groups were contesting and are allowed to establish around 600,000 campaign offices, only about 9,200 offices have been set up, Hettiarachchi added.
…assumes jurisdiction over case
By A. J. A. Abeynayake
The Supreme Court issued an order yesterday (07) directing the immediate transfer of a case regarding the possession of several unregistered elephants from the Colombo Additional Magistrate’s Court to its own jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court also instructed the Magistrate’s Court not to take any further steps concerning the case. Additionally, it issued a stay order on all directives given by the Magistrate’s Court regarding the case filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) until the conclusion of its examination of the related petitions.
This ruling was made by a Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Arjuna Obeysekere, in response to submissions by President’s Counsel Sanjeeva Jayawardena, who argued that the previous order issued by an Colombo Additional Magistrate’s Court, allowing the release of illegally held elephants back to the individuals in possession of them was unlawful.
The Centre for Environmental and Cultural Studies and several other parties had previously filed the case, which was called for hearing yesterday (07).
President’s Counsel Sanjeeva Jayawardena also brought to the notice of the Supreme Court that despite an order from the Court of Appeal preventing the release of elephants held by the Department of Wildlife in connection with this case, the Magistrate’s Court had recently issued an order releasing the elephants back to the individuals in possession of them.
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